Saunders hoping to sort out deal with midfielder

Doncaster Rovers boss Dean Saunders says he is trying to sort out a new deal with Paul Keegan.

Keegan is out of contract at the club and Saunders says he in talks with Keegan about a new deal to remain at the Keepmoat. Speaking in the Sheffield Star , Saunders said, "I`m talking to Paul Keegan because he is the sort of player we need in midfield.

"I`ve offered him a deal but we are still talking because we`ve got to protect ourselves because he has missed most of last season with a knee injury."

Keegan made just three substitute appearances for Rovers last season in an injury-ravaged campaign.

The 28 year old has struggled with injuries since arriving at the Keepmoat in January 2011.

Keegan made ten appearances before suffering a cartilage injury in the 5-2 defeat at Leeds in March that required surgery and ruled him out for the remainder of the season.

After coming back in pre-season, he came off the bench in Rovers Carling Cup win over Tranmere in August.

He also came off the bench in Rovers next championship game at home to West Ham but he was not seen again until March after suffering a knee injury.

Saunders was hoping to retain a number of his out of contract players but he is struggling to match the demands of those out of contract.

The Rovers boss admits that midfielders Simon Gillett and John Oster will move on, as he cannot afford the wage demands of the two players.

Saunders will also be looking to move on some of those players still in contract who are on championship wages.

There have already been a number of players move on in the summer that saw their contracts expire at the end of June. Sam Hird (Chesterfield), James Hayter (Yeovil Town), Adam Lockwood (Bury) and Oscar Radford (Kettering) have all moved on.

Giles Barnes, James Baxendale, Rachid Bouhenna, James Chambers, Mustapha Dumbuya, Simon Gillett,, Paul Keegan, John Oster, Damien Plessis and Fabien Robert are currently free agents having come to the end of their current deals at the Keepmoat at the end of last season.

Rovers returned to pre-season training on Friday with none of the players out of contract taking part.

Saunders said that none of those out of contract could take part because of insurance purposes, leaving just twelve senior professionals still in contract and the three summer signings, David Syers, David Cotterill and Robbie Blake to take part.

Kyle Bennett, Habib Beye, Chris Brown, James Coppinger, George Friend, James Husband, Shelton Martis, James O`Connor, Tommy Spurr, Brian Stock, Neil Sullivan, Gary Woods and Martin Woods are the twelve existing players in the squad who played for the side last season.

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